Medical Assistant School Time Nanuet NY - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Choose a Medical Assistant School Program near Nanuet New York

Nanuet NY medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have made a decision to become a part of the gratifying profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Nanuet NY, it’s time to select a college that will furnish the proper training. But just how do you approach evaluating and comparing colleges so that you subsequently pick the ideal one? Many prospective students start by checking out the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their residences and then lean toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While cost and location are extremely important such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are important issues as well. You might decide to take a look at some online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more about that later). The main point is that before you select a program you need to complete your due diligence and compare all pertinent aspects of the schools you are evaluating. And to help you with that task, we have furnished several questions that you need to ask all of the colleges on your “maybe” list. But before we start that review, let’s talk a little bit about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the kind of training and credentials that are offered.

The Role of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Nanuet NY nursing home patient The role of a medical assistant can be varied as well as demanding. Primarily their job is ensure that the Nanuet NY clinics, hospitals and other medical care facilities where they work operate successfully. Depending on the size or type of facility, they may be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are responsible for giving direct assistance to the physicians, nurses and other health professionals but can also be found performing duties in an office or at the front desk. A few of the possible duties of a medical assistant include:

Completing insurance forms and filing claims
Scheduling and verifying appointments
Weighing and taking patients vital signs
Taking blood and other tissue and fluid specimens
Preparing instruments and rooms for doctors
Providing basic support during exams and procedures

Even though medical assistants may carry out almost any activity they are authorized to under New York law, some elect to specialize in a specific area and attain certification. Two of the choices offered are for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) and the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) offered by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Programs

Unlike most other healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not required to become certified, licensed, or to earn a college degree. However, a number of Nanuet NY health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (more on accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are generally 2 options provided for a formal education. The first and fastest path to becoming a medical assistant is to acquire a diploma or a certificate. These programs usually take about one year to finish, a few as little as 6 to 9 months. They are designed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to acquire an Associate Degree, which are typically 2 year programs available at community and junior colleges together with technical and vocational schools. They are more expansive in design than the diploma or certificate programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They often have a practical element requiring an internship with a local medical practice. Associate Degrees are often a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.

Medical Assistant Online Courses

woman attending medical assistant school online in Nanuet NY There are many accredited medical assistant programs accessible online also. They are an excellent option for those who might not have the time to attend classes on campus but could work them in if attended at home. This is a particularly good choice for students who continue to work full-time while attaining their certificate or degree. As an additional benefit, many online programs have lower tuitions than the more conventional on campus options. Supplemental expenses such as for textbooks, commuting and school supplies might be lessened also. But bear in mind that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can often be performed in Nanuet NY area medical facilities. If you can earn a degree without the formal structure of participating in supervised classes on-campus, then this approach to getting your training may be the ideal choice for you. Between the online classes and the practical training, everything needed to attain proficiency to work as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As earlier stated, becoming certified is not a legal mandate, but is an excellent idea for graduates who wish to advance their careers. Not only will it help in securing a job after graduation, but it might also help with initial salary negotiations. Some possible Nanuet NY medical employers simply will not employ a medical assistant that has not received certification or accredited formal training. The most popular and arguably the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to apply for the CMA exam, an applicant must be a graduate or will be graduating within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are offered also, including the CCMA and the CMAA that we previously mentioned which are provided by the NHA.

Topics to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Questions to ask Nanuet NY medical assistant programs Prior to evaluating your medical assistant school options, you need to determine which kind of credential you want to attain, and if you would prefer attending classes on campus or online at home. Once those choices have been made, you can begin the process of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the beginning of this article, some potential students limit their searches to the colleges that are closest to Nanuet NY with the lowest tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifications, they are not the only ones. There are several additional factors that you need to examine when assessing programs. To help you with that process, following are some questions that you need to ask about each of the schools you are considering before making your final choice.

Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are a number of good reasons to make sure that the college you enroll in is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps ensure that the education you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you intend to become certified, you must complete an accredited program. Two of the accepted agencies for accreditation are the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES) and the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). If your school is not accredited by either of these agencies, you will not be allowed to take the CMA examination. Additionally, if you intend on applying for a student loan or financial assistance, they are often not available for non-accredited programs. And last, as mentioned previously, many prospective Nanuet NY employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the Program’s Passage Rate? The majority of accredited medical assistant colleges create their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification examinations. To begin with, you must learn which of the certifications the schools you are looking at are preparing their students to take. If you are planning on taking the CMA for instance, then of course you will want to select a program focused on that certification. Next, find out what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. Doing this is one of the methods to help assess the quality of a college’s program. Obviously programs with lower rates are those that you will prefer to avoid.

Which Programs are Provided? As we covered earlier, there are essentially two routes to acquiring medical assistant training. You can enroll in a diploma or certificate program and obtain entry level training in the fastest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, however the average is about one year. Or you can choose to obtain an Associate Degree and receive a broader education that will take about two years to finish in a junior college or vocational school. Whatever program you choose to enroll in, make certain that the colleges you are reviewing provide the kind of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Available? A large number of medical assistant colleges sponsor internship programs with Nanuet NY area medical providers. They are a great method to get hands-on practical experience and training. They can also assist students establish relationships within the Nanuet healthcare community. And as an added benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Support Provided? Finding that first job can be a difficult undertaking for graduating medical assistant students unless they obtain some help from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are researching offer job placement assistance in the Nanuet NY area and find out what their placement rate is. If a school has a high job placement rate for its students, it indicates that it has a good reputation within the medical community. It also suggests that it has a large network of contacts to help place students in positions.

How Large are the Classrooms? Class size can be an indicator of how much individual instruction you will receive throughout your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to provide increased access to teachers and face to face interaction. If convenient, try to monitor a couple of classes before selecting a college to see what the teaching atmosphere is like and how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Accommodating? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant college while you continue working full time, it’s essential that the college you enroll in provides classes that fit your schedule. If you have to attend classes at night or on weekends near Nanuet NY, verify that those times are available. You may be able to fit your classes in easier with an online college, but you will still have to schedule any internships or clinical training that will be required. Additionally, find out what the policy is for making up classes that you may have to miss due to illness, work or family emergencies.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Nanuet New York?

If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the Nanuet NY area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.

Nanuet, New York

Nanuet is a hamlet and census-designated place in the town of Clarkstown, Rockland County, New York, United States. It is located north of Pearl River, south of New City, east of Spring Valley, and west of West Nyack. It is located midway between Manhattan and Bear Mountain, 19 miles (31 km) north and south of each respectively; and 2 miles (3 km) north of the New Jersey border. It has one of three Rockland County stations on New Jersey Transit's Pascack Valley Line. The population of Nanuet was 17,882 at the 2010 census.[1]

The opening of the New York State Thruway (Interstate 87/287), the Tappan Zee Bridge, and the Palisades Interstate Parkway in the 1950s helped usher in decades of population growth and real estate development, including the construction of the Nanuet Mall and local shopping centers.[2]

In 2011, CNN Money ranked Nanuet 76 on its annual 100 Best Places to Live list,[3] citing its relatively inexpensive housing and the recreation and shopping opportunities in the area. Nanuet was also ranked 24th on CNN Money's annual 100 Best Places to Live list in 2007.[4]

Choose the Ideal Medical Assistant Training Nanuet NY

Nanuet NY medical assistant student It’s imperative to begin your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant college that will furnish the right training. Whether you’re goal is to launch a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your life long career, you must obtain the appropriate information on available programs prior to making your selection. There are so many schools offering training nowadays that you can make a selection based upon your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have covered in this article, make sure that the program you pick is accredited by a recognized agency, such as the CAAHEP. This is especially critical if you anticipate taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant School Time. But irrespective of the type of credential that you plan to earn or if you have decided to attend either an online or on-campus school, make sure to ask the questions we have provided so you can evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the right program you can subsequently begin a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Nanuet NY.